Improved charger for fire-arsvis



T. H. PEAVEY.

Powder-Flask and Charger.

Patented June 27, 1854.

MPETERS, PNOTO-UTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D104 I Uniran STATES PATENT @rrrcs.

T. H. PEAYEY, OF SOUTH MOXTVILLE, MAINE.

IMPROVED CHARGER FOR FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. llll,ll7-!l. dated June 27, 15 54.

To all Hill/0772, it may concern.-

-Be it known that I, T. H. PEAVEY, of South Montville, in the county of Waldo and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Instrument for Charging Fire-Arms; and I do hereby deelarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aside view of the charger. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. is a bottom end view, and Fig. 4 is a top view, with the top plate taken away to show the interior. Fig. 5 represents the plunger by which the bullets are forced in and out of the cylinder.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in a cylinder which contains several chambers arranged in a circle around its axis, and nearly corresponding in size with the bore of the barrel to be charged, and is so confined between two plates and combined with a muzzle-piece which fits on the muzzle of the barrel that all but one of the chambers can be charged with bullets and loose powder and carried loaded and closed until their charges are required for use, when the muzzle-piece may be placed on the barrel and one of the chambers brought into communication with it for the purpose of discharging the contents of the chamber into the barrel.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the chambered cylinder, which is of metal, and may contain any number of chambers a a boredright through it. These chambers are arranged at equal distances apart, in a circle as close as possible to the periphery of the cylinder. The cylinderis of such a depth that the chambers will contain the ball and the required charge of powder, and the bore of the chamber should be of such size as to allow the ball and patch to pass through without great force being applied. The cylinder is made hollow, to lighten it as much as possible.

B B are the plates between which the cylinder is confined. These are circular, and of a little larger diameter than the cylinder, and

1 have slight recesses in their inner faces to receive the ends of the cylinder, and each has a single hole, f, corresponding in size and position with the chambers a a. They are connected by a central spindle, O, which fits into each with of the nuts 0 c, which fit the screws on its ends, which protrude through the plates. The bottom end of the spindle is riveted in the nut 0, so as to connect the spindle and the bottom plate, B, immovably. The top plate, B, in addition to being held by the square I), is further held in place relatively to B, or with the two holesff opposite each other, by a small plate, (I, which fits to its square I), and is furnished with a fixed pin, 6, which enters a corresponding hole in B, and serves as a guide to bring B in its proper position relatively to B when replaced after having been taken off to clean the chambers.

D is themuzzle-piece, which, somewhat resembles what is known as a loading muzzle, being bored out to correspond with the bore of the barrel, and bored or otherwise suitably enlarged internally to the depth of about a quarter of an inch, to fit to the outside of the muzzle. It is screwed into or otherwise secured to a plate, E, which is attached to the bottom plate, B, by two screws, 9 g, and its bore corresponds exactly with the hole on the latter plate. Round the bottom end of the cylinder there is a series of notches, h h, (see Fig. 1,) at equal distances apart, and attached to the top side of the plate E is a spring-catch, F, which enters either of the side notches, and when in a notch holds one of the chambers in the cylinder in line with the holes f f and the muzzle. All the chanr bers but the one in communication with the holes f f and muzzle-piece are closed by the plates B B.

To charge the charger for use, it is held upright, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the chambers are severally brought opposite the holes f by releasing the cylinder from the catch and turning it, and a bullet and patch is inserted in each chamber in its turn just far enough'to allow the cylinder to rotate. The charger is then inverted and the chambers severally ceive the charge of powder, which is poured in in the same way as into: the barrel of an ordinary firearm. XVhen all the chambers are a square, b, and holds them together by means brought opposite the muzzle-piece D to refilled, it is necessary to pour out the powder and force out the bullet from one which is opposite the muzzle-piece, as there would be no bottom to contain the powder; or the filling of one chamber may be omitted. The charger may now be carried any distance, and is always ready for use.

When the gun or other arm is to be loaded, the muzzle-piece is placed on its muzzle, with the spring-catch turned from the operator, who places the end of the middle finger of the right hand upon the spring-catch to set it free, and the thumb on the opposite side of the cylinder, and then turns to the right. As the cylinder turns, the finger leaves the catch, which is then ready to stop the cylinder when the next chamber arrives in direct communication with the muzzle-piece.

\Vhen the cylinder stops, the powder falls from the chamber into the barrel of the gun;

but the ball requires to be pushed through the muzzle-piece by a small plunger, (see Fig-5,) which may be carried in the pocket for that purpose, after which it may be rammed home in the usual manner.

WVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' The charger consisting of the chambered cylinder A, confined between two plates, B B, to one of which is attached a muzzle-piece, D, or some suitable means of fitting it to the ban rel, and furnished with a spring-catch, F, or its equivalent, by which the chambers a a may be severally held in communication with the holes f f in the plates and the muzzle-piece, substantially as set forth.

T. H. PEAVEY. \Vitnesses:

JOHN RANDALL, J OSEPH Foes. 

